Summer 2012 - ONAWAY in Northern Spain and Portugal

Summer 2012 - ONAWAY in Northern Spain and Portugal.
Introduction.
Following our first extended sailing season my wife Judith and I wintered ONAWAY at
Arzal on the beautiful Vilaine River in Western France. Our boat is an 11.6m, 1999
Bavaria 38 (draft 1.6m), pictured below. For 2012 the plan was to cruise south towards
Northern Spain visiting the Basque Country as a starting point, spend a month in the
southern Rias and on to Portugal with the intention of spending the next winter in
Lisbon. We felt that Lisbon would be an interesting location for an extended break
during the winter and we were not disappointed with our choice in any way. This would
position us well for an early start next year to cruise further south and on to the
Algarve and Andalucía, the Atlantic coast of Southern Spain. We are not in a hurry and
want to enjoy the places we visit, so for us “the Med can wait”, a little longer.
ONAWAY at anchor, Isla Tomba, Ria Pontevedra, Northern Spain.
During my planning phase I was able to use the Internet to identify web sites for many
of the marina’s we were going to visit and establish some idea of costs along the way.
Most of the websites include visitor rates (Tariff) with a little delving but I have also
included our own costs for 11.6m. The exchange rate at the time was 1.2 Euro’s to the
Pound and all costs quoted are in Euro’s. These are my bookmarks so I have compiled
them into this article which I hope someone may find useful.
For a map of the area Google Earth is a good source and an excellent passage planning
tool. Download free at http://www.google.com/earth/download/ge/agree.html
Fitting out in Arzal was a highlight for us. The weather was glorious and every facility
can be found in and around the marina. The marina team were excellent and we were
fortunate to make good friends which made our stay special. Having our car during this
period allowed us to visit lots of places in the area during our month aboard in the yard.
Once launched, we had been in the water 3 hours before we were visited by French
customs, a formality but they were interested how long we had been aboard and in
France over the winter.
Our experience was that in April to June marina prices are very reasonable in western
France and this area is a delight to cruise at this time of year. On the north coast of
Spain prices were more expensive to France at around 35E / night but there are
smaller places to visit where costs are less and some anchorages. We found the
northern Rias an exposed place and I’m sure it is wonderful in settled weather but we
were happy to transit the area quickly. Once south of Finesterre we were surprised
that costs reduced significantly and there were hundreds of excellent anchorages in
the southern Rias. We loved Portuguese harbours, especially Porto and costs remained
low until we reached Lisbon where there was a modest increase but still much cheaper
than the UK or western France in July/August.
Sailing conditions are challenging and monitoring the weather at all times is essential,
even then conditions can change quickly. In the first part of trip we had some
moderately long passages and we found that Biscay can be dealt with in one overnight
passage from a number of locations on the western coast of France. If you are heading
for Gijon there is little point going further south than Isle d’Yeu and any crossing from
the La Rochelle area to a point, east of Bilbao will require negotiating the Landes firing
range at some point.
We had excellent weather in the first part of the year for the trip to the Basque
Country, which was fortunate as this is a very exposed coast indeed with few safe
harbours. In terms of planning we found a good half knot of south going current.
On the north coast of Spain we were surprised to find high pressure hanging on longer
than further north giving us northerly winds and a similar half knot easterly current.
Swell on this coast becomes the most significant feature and should be studied, as it
will close many of the smaller harbours. We found the eastern part of northern Spain
much warmer and by the time we reached Galicia in June it had become more like
cruising in Scotland. In the east the higher temperatures and the proximity of the
mountains generates odd weather anomalies known locally as “Galernas”. In the west
expect fog and strong winds around Cabo Ortegal. There are some formidable
headlands but no strong tides and overfalls as we would expect back home in the
Channel. Sea depths are impressive, 2nm offshore and 4000m which seems to have a
positive impact on the tidal streams along the coast. When entering harbours however
tides re-appeared and due regard was required on the approach.
In the southern Rias we had much better weather and found that the swell does not
reach far “up Ria” due to the protection of the off lying islands.
In Portugal we were fortunate, with light northerly’s and did not experience the very
strong afternoon winds typical of the area. Having said that it is always wise to shorten
sail when entering the ports here or coming south of steep headlands. Most significant
was fog during July which added complexity but can be dealt with and generally
disappeared by mid morning. Keep a good way offshore is a good plan, as lobster pots
are everywhere, particularly in the approach to harbours.
Weather forecasts in France, Spain and Portugal are abundant both online and via VHF
in English on reaching Spain and Portugal. Navtex provides good detail on conditions
along the coast. I’ve included the weather sources we used but unlike France where
Internet access is widely available at marinas, in Spain and Portugal reception is very
mixed so investing in a local 3G dongle proved a good choice for us.
Northern Spain the Aquitaine way. La Rochelle to the Basque Country.
In many ways the complexities of this route make a short hop across Biscay, 1 night at
sea to Bilbao, a favourite with many shorthanded crews. Entering the Gironde and its
very strong tides. Dealing with the Landes Range and entering Arcachon with its
formidable reputation, along with its remoteness, requires a similar weather window to
the Bilbao crossing. We chose this route and are glad we did as there is much of
interest along the way.
St. Denis, Isle d’Oleron
This is a tidal harbour with access 2 hours either side of HW. The leading marks are
quite difficult to see but appear as red and green perches, then 2 green buoys, deepest
water closest to these buoys. Entrance to the harbour is pictured with tide gauge close
to fuel pontoon. Deepest water here, to starboard hand side. Visitors berth to port on
entering and boats in the foreground are on the outer end of the visitor berth.
Mooring options – Small marina. Alongside berthing with finger berths behind the
boats pictured, finger berths for up to 30 feet only. Get’s busy at weekends.
Anchorage – Fair weather anchorage off entrance marina but exposed to north and
east.
Cost – Marina – May, 19E/night, third night free.
WIFI from marina at extra cost. Diesel – 24hr credit card machine – 1.35E / litre.
Cheapest in these parts. I paid 1.42 in La Rochelle before leaving.
Usual facilities, including small supermarket in St Denis. Some walk from visitor marina.
http://www.st-denis-oleron.com/contenu/port.html#serv
St Denis is a lovely place and not at all pretentious. The Marina team are amongst the
friendliest we have met. The beaches on the west coast, short bike ride, are amongst
the best we found on our trip south. For fantastic views climb to the summit of Phare
Chassiron.
Entrance to St Denis d’Oleron. Visitor’s pontoon, alongside berths are to port past this
diesel pontoon. Note tide gauge in foreground.
River Gironde.
From St. Denis we entered the Gironde River. This passage requires careful planning
and good weather as our experience is that the entrance to the Gironde could be very
nasty indeed in strong winds and swell. Wind over tide conditions should be avoided. We
chose to enter the river at slack LW which I believe to be preferable to the HW option
and works well with a departure from St Denis.
Our passage began with rounding Pointe de Chassiron, this should be given a good offing
due to overfalls close inshore. The wind was N3 with a 1.5m swell, a small spring tide
coeff 75. We made good time from Chassiron and arrived at the Gironde fairway at
LW, too early. The fairway buoy is 5nm offshore and on the approach “tides meet”
could easily be seen as the colour of the water changed from blue to brown. Likewise
our speed dropped from 6 to 4 knots. The pilot states that you should arrive 1 hour
after LW as the tide does not begin to flood until this time. I can confirm that this is
the case and we had to punch the tide for 1 hour 30mins before it turned fair. By the
time we reached Royan we were doing 10 knots over the ground. It took 3.5 hours from
our approach to reach Port Medoc.
The river is fairly wide, well marked and navigable at all states by large ships so a keen
“eye” astern is advisable. There were big rolling seas in the area around buoys 6 (red)
and 7 (green) and the waves break on the banks either side. Once beyond buoy 9 (north
cardinal) you are well inside the river and out of the sea and swell.
The channel clearly shifts dramatically and the chart plotter had us “high and dry” on
numerous occasions demonstrating this to great effect.
With careful planning this is a passage that can be made without difficulty and is
actually a well used route by the French locals.
Port Medoc.
Port Medoc is located on the south bank of the Gironde and is very convenient for
leaving the River via the south channel. Access at any state of the tide but caution is
required as the tide runs quickly across the entrance. Visitor’s berths are at the very
top of the marina in front of the Capatainaire. Onaway is pictured on these berths.
Mooring options – Very big marina. Cost – Marina – May, 26.40E/night. Third night free.
WIFI ,very good and free. Diesel – 24hr credit card machine – 1.46E.
Usual facilities, including restaurants at marina. Small supermarket in Le Verdon, a long
walk from the marina. Large supermarket in Soulac sur Mer a 5km bike ride.
http://www.port-medoc.com/bienvenue.asp
In short Port Medoc is miles from anywhere and a little remote. The weather here
however is better and you feel as if you are heading south. Indeed the whole aspect of
the place is south. Fantastic cycle path to Soulac sur Mer where you will find more
facilities including a large supermarket but it is still out of town.
Visitor pontoon at Port Medoc. After entering the marina keep going, it’s a good way
through the marina to get to this point. Marina Office up gangway, then to left.
Landes Firing Range
Or “Centre d'essais des Landes” by its proper name. Much is written about this Range
and the complexities in the crossing to the Aquitaine Region of France and the Basque
Country of Northern Spain. The area it covers is indeed a very long and exposed
stretch of coastline, stretching from just south of the Gironde to just north of Cap
Breton a distance of 110 nm. There is only one potential harbour in which to break the
trip and that is Arcachon, which in its self has a formidable reputation due to its ever
shifting entrance channel. With fair weather however it is do-able and many French
Yachts cruise this coast during the summer but this is not to be taken lightly and every
respect should be paid to the conditions you could encounter.
It is essential to be mindful of the requirements of the French Authorities when
passing through and unlike some ranges we have passed through in the UK I am very
confident that you would not be allowed to pass here whatever the conditions. I do not
seek to undermine this in my description here.
The range is split into two halves, effectively north (52nm) and south (55nm) of
Arcachon and attached is a link to the CA website which contains a location plan and
contact numbers.
http://www.cruising.org.uk/cruising_info/biscay/western_france
Then scroll down to “Landes Firing Range – Information”
The range does not fire all the time and firing times are broadcast on NAVTEX as
“Notices to Mariners” or “Avis aux navigateurs : LANDES”. Conveniently these are also
recorded on-line.
http://www.premar-atlantique.gouv.fr/infoprat/avisnav/landes
They are regularly updated and I used these as my definitive guide to firing times. You
will see that precise days and times are given. In addition to this there is rarely any
firing at weekends, none on Sundays and at night closing at 17.00 and starting again at
0800. They also stop firing for lunch as you would expect in France.
Our experience was that there was no indication of firing to the north of Arcachon and
I understand this to generally be the case. If you intend to stop at Arcachon this gives
plenty of scope but be absolutely certain that your weather window provides sufficient
time to cover the whole stretch should you find you are unable to enter Arcachon. An
early morning departure from Port Medoc is required. The tidal window in the South
Channel of the Gironde is large enough and providing you have a fair tide and good
weather, with low swell, the passage plan is conventional. We did get “buzzed” by some
French jets but this was them using us as an exercise, given the lack of other objects
in the area, rather than a warning. It is also significant in that should you not wish to
enter Arcachon but carry on overnight then you will be entering the more critical
southern area of the range “after hours” and will pass through in the evening, arriving
Bayonne in hours of darkness.
Even the southern part of the range can be broken down. Here there is one very small
area, 7nm offshore that cannot be entered at anytime. Whilst there can be firing in
any part of the range, in the 2 weeks prior to our passage every position indicated on
the “Avis aux navigateurs : LANDES” were within the area described. The range itself,
guarded by French Patrol boats as we passed through on a Sunday commences 10nm to
the south of Arcachon and stretches for 30nm to the south. To the west or out to sea,
a distance of 40nm. It is very obvious when you are there because of the military
buildings and radar “golfballs”. In short, the Landes Range is a 30nm wide corridor in
110nm stretch of coast with one very small area you cannot enter at anytime.
We passed through without incident but it was very clear to me that should the
authorities not want us to pass then would certainly not have done so.
Arcachon
Arcachon has a fearful reputation and rightly so as in the wrong conditions it would be
extremely dangerous. At over 50nm from any other safe haven a weather window good
enough to make the whole passage some 120nm to safety is essential. Before entering
you must call Cap Ferret Signal Station on VHF CH16 to be sure the passage is safe. I
found I was able to call them by mobile phone on 0033 0556037627 during our trip
down the coast from Port Medoc, which was reassuring.
http://www.snsm.org/node/321
http://snsm.legecapferret.over-blog.com/
The day we chose was NW F3 with a 1m swell and hot weather. We made better time
than expected, helped by the 0.5 knot southerly current and arrived around 18.00, 2
hours before HW. On arrival I called them up and they would not allow us to enter
stating that we must wait until 19.00 an hour before HW, which we did of course. At
sea there was a low swell and little wind but as the time came around I called them up
and they reported a 1.7m swell on the bar, anything around 2.5m would close the
harbour entrance. They also told us to stay over to the starboard side of the channel
close to the green buoys as the channel had shifted since they were layed earlier in the
year.
As we made our way in past the first two channel markers the swell grew dramatically
and it felt as if we were surfing. The backs of the breakers either side could clearly be
seen but the channel was quite wide. At this point the wind increased to 22 knots
blowing out of the river and was very hot indeed. Immediately in front of the river
entrance is the biggest sand dune, Pyla, more like a mountain actually. Clearly this had
been heating up all day and the down draft was now catching us squarely, fortunately I
had reefed the main as this was not the place to be working on deck. This wind over
tide made the breaking waves stand up nicely and there were 3 or 4 m waves breaking
either side of us. The channel remained deep and we passed through without incident.
On reaching buoy number 7 (green) a turn to port is required and here we felt the
secondary swell from the waves breaking on the banks to port, broadside on. The next
red buoy was well up channel and a little difficult to see. In this instance it was not an
issue but I suspect in bad conditions waves would break right across the river entrance.
Another half a mile and we were inside the Arcachon Basin but it took another 2 hours
to reach the marina.
Mooring options – Marina. Very expensive at 50E / night, second night free. Facilities
are very poor and showers unusable. The indicated visitor’s area is likely to be full but
if you see a berth “grab it” as with other French marinas this is the norm. We arrived
late and no-one came to see us or were in attendance in the morning, so I took a berth
well into the marina. In the morning I enquired and was told it was OK to stay. An hour
later a boat turned up and we had to move. My overall impression is that they don’t
want visitors. Mooring buoys or anchorage off marina.
http://www.port-arcachon.com/
Cost – Marina – June, 50E/night. Second night free.
No WIFI at marina try one of the bars in town. Diesel – 24hr credit card machine.
Usual facilities, including large supermarket in town a long walk from visitor marina.
Mooring note – Because I was aware of the cost of Marina Arcachon I did some
research to find some alternatives. The marina were helpful and have a number of
visitor moorings allocated on request. They even sent me a location plan indicating the
area in front of Arcachon main beach and close to the marina entrance . On arrival
however, I concluded that these moorings were not great. They would be OK in an
emergency but very uncomfortable as they are “tide rode” and there is much passing
traffic. An alternative may be over at La Ligne on the Cap Ferret Peninsula and I did
enquire on the attached but didn’t get a positive response
“[email protected]”
Despite the drama of the entrance and the very expensive but poor marina facilities,
we enjoyed Arcachon. The town is a sophisticated seaside resort and a little upmarket
with some very nice beachside restaurants. The Basin itself is intriguing and it would be
a delight to explore in a shoal drafted boat. The Cap Ferret Peninsula looked very
beautiful with expensive villas and glorious beaches. I’m sure there must be a good
place to anchor on that side given the time to explore. Perhaps the most interesting
spot was right beneath the Pyla sand dune behind a sandbank in the entrance channel.
This was full of local boats as it was the weekend, the anchorage is almost land locked,
except towards HW and a real desert island.
Our departure was less of an ordeal and had us wondering what all the fuss was about,
big swell but less of a breaking sea. Having said that, we were glad to be back at sea
again and headed south as quickly as we could.
Cap Breton.
Not visited on this trip.
http://portcapbreton.pagesperso-orange.fr/index.htm
Bayonne / Anglet
Mooring options – Marina in the river.
http://www.port-adhoc.com/reseau-de-ports-a-sec/port-a-sec-bayonne/
No WIFI at marina. Diesel – On request.
Bayonne is a useful staging point as it can be accessed at any state of the tide and in
most weathers. I would approach and enter here in the dark as it is well lit. There are
two aspects to be wary of. Firstly there are many lobster pots in the approach. Staying
offshore a mile or so until the harbour opens up would avoid most of these pots.
Secondly, despite being a busy port fisherman set nets right across the river leading to
the marina at night. These will be marked with a strobe light at one end and you need to
pass between this and the shore. Although it looks narrow the river is steep too. There
will be a boat on watch and as they have no desire for you to wreck their nets, will
approach in fast boats if you look, to cross where their nets are set.
Bayonne marina is small and visitors should arrive at the pontoon directly in front of
the capatainerie. We arrived late and left early so saw no one in the office. Opposite
the marina is a “steel crushing works” so this is not an attractive place.
Conveniently there are pizza and Chinese restaurants close by that do “takeaways”.
Hendaye.
Hendaye and Hondarribia are approached by a wide canal which is the River Bidassoa.
France to port, Spain to starboard. Hondarribia is the first marina to starboard on
entering, carry on a few hundred yards until Hendaye Marina opens up to port as in the
picture. Be careful on entering as it’s a bit of a blind spot. Also watch out for small
fishing boats netting in the river. Before you reach the entrance there is a large
fishing harbour on the Spanish side, careful not to confuse this, as yachts are not
welcome. An anchorage exists amongst the moorings close to the fishing harbour.
Mooring options – Marina and limited anchoring (night or so) close to fishing harbour in
the approach to the River or in the river amongst the moorings beyond the marinas.
Cost – Marina – May, 30E/night, third night free.
WIFI at marina. Diesel – At office.
http://www.port-hendaye.fr/
Usual facilities, including small supermarket in Marina complex. Boulangerie at rear of
small supermarket, up alley, where they bake bread each morning. You can buy from
here straight out of the oven. Amazing backdrop of mountains on approach and lovely
sandy beaches.
Entrance to Hendaye marina, caution as it’s a bit of a blind spot. Visitors berth to left
on entry and carry on to far end of marina. Marina office is central admin. building.
There are plenty of shore facilities here for winter storage and very good chandleries,
make the most of these as they will be the last you see from here on. Check out
TRIBOARD the French retailer specialising in all things nautical.
Thoughts on the trip so far and strategy for crossing Biscay in relation to
areas covered here.
There is no doubt that whatever route you take to reach the French or Spanish Basque
Country it will be a challenge. Having now been there I believe that this is a rewarding
place to visit and a cruise easily achievable over a summer from the ports on the west
coast of France we visited, with a return the same year. The evidence of this is the
number of French yachts doing just the same. This part of Northern Spain is unlike
anywhere we have visited before and in our experience the weather much better than
further west along the coast towards Galicia. Hendaye (France) and Hondarribia (Spain)
on either side of the River Bidassoa would be a destination in their own right.
From Oleron to Bilbao is 170nm so an overnight sail, clear of the Landes Range, and
then a short cruise east to get into the area. Port Medoc / Royan to Cap Breton at
120nm are just over a day light passage but given the half knot of south going tide and
aiming to pass through the southern part of the Landes range after 16.00 I would do
this even though it would almost certainly mean entering Cap Breton or Bayonne /
Anglet in the dark. Arcachon is an alternative but be prepared for an extended stay or
be sure to pick your weather window so that if Cap Ferret report the entrance is
dangerous you have sufficient time to press on south.
Leaving the Gironde by the south passage requires an ebb tide so the potential for a
very early start has around a 4 hour window given that it will take an hour to clear out
to sea.
The return is a little more complicated as you could go over night from Bilbao, easy
enough. The buoys in the south passage of the Gironde are not lit therefore it would be
risky but not impossible, to attempt this in the dark. A visit to Arcachon from say, Cap
Breton would therefore seem an alternative. From here both the Gironde or Oleron
would be do-able in a long day sail but a fair tide into the Gironde or around Chassiron
would be required. As already stated the area north of Arcachon is not usually
constrained by the Landes Range but you must check.
The whole area is severely affected by swell and moderate to strong winds, Arcachon is
over 50nm from alternative shelter so pick your weather windows carefully.
North coast Spain. Hondarribia to Finisterre.
Formalities in Spain and Portugal when arriving at a marina.
These are very different to the UK or France. Firstly there are usually “Marineros”
whose job it is to help you moor up. Sometimes they don’t meet you at the reception
pontoon but will be summoned by the marina office when you are allocated a berth.
They will insist that they secure your boat to the allocated berth. After a short time
you learn to let them get on with it, thank them and then sort things out after they
have left.
On arrival you must visit the marina office and take with you your documents. These
include, Ships Papers, from which they will take the length and width of your boat.
These are both important as the berths are based on both and whilst your length may
be in one tariff band your width may be in the higher so you would be charged based on
width. Alternatively they will charge by the sq m and both dimensions are used to
calculate this. Next is your insurance documents and passports of all crew members
which will probably be photocopied.
Oh I forgot to mention the form that needs to be completed, they either present you
with this on arrival, give you in the office for you to fill in or fill in on the computer
whilst you wait. In one instance I was also asked for a copy of my qualifications, ICC.
There is nothing you can do but be patient especially if 2 or 3 boats arrive at the same
time.
In our experience staff in the marina offices we have visited have been helpful and
very courteous. I believe the best way to deal with it is to do likewise and take the
opportunity to browse the literature and leaflets on display for visitors in the office.
In a number of locations we were even presented with gifts, a bottle of cider, wine and
very nice Portuguese soap.
Hondarribia
Mooring options – Marina and anchorages as described above. The entrance to the
marina is straight forward but be careful of strong cross tides. Once in you will see the
waiting pontoon in front of you. The arrow indicates were to moor.
Cost – Marina – May, 33E/night. WIFI at marina. Diesel – 24hr credit card machine –
1.32E. (as can be seen diesel is much cheaper in Spain).
http://www.ekpsa.eu/inicio.php
Entrance to “Honda” marina. Arrivals to st’bd here, office through the marina to left.
Hondarribia was one of the nicest places we visited on our trip this summer. It is very
Spanish with an historic old town, lovely beaches and a spectacular location. The night
life is superb and everyone, young and old enjoying themselves thoroughly late into the
evening. It is some walk from the marina into the main town where you will find all the
facilities you may require including a large supermarket, ask for directions in the
office. The marina has very good facilities indeed, including hard standing for wintering
ashore.
“Galernas”
We had heard about the strong catabatic winds that blow down from the mountains and
experienced these on 2 occasions in our stay in these two ports.
“Galerna”blowing across the river entrance. Very localised but F6 to 7 for 2 hours.
The first was in Hendaye when we were being boarded by customs and the second in
Hondarribia as pictured. The picture is taken from the old town in Hondarribia looking
down on the marina and beach beyond, you can see the sand storm created. With little
or no warning the wind got up from nothing to Force 7 in about 15 minutes. It was very
localised and blew from the mountains out across the river entrance for around 2
hours, 2 or 3 miles out to sea yachts were not affected by these winds. I am not a
meteorologist but it seemed to me that these winds occurred at a time when the
temperature was hot and humid, a review of the weather map at the time on both
occasions indicated a cold front passing through the area. Immediately after the event
the humid air was replaced by much cooler temperatures. We experienced this effect
on one more occasion in Bilbao when it blew very strongly across the anchorage at
Getxo. A boat at anchor was very hard pressed but thankfully was well anchored and
did not drag.
From here on whenever we had humid temperatures I kept a close eye on the
approaching fronts.
Zumaya.
Zumaya has a very narrow entrance and is badly affected by swell. Be very careful and
approach above half tide. Once in to the entrance the approach is very attractive as
can be seen from the picture. These almost Alpine houses can be found throughout the
Spanish Basque Country. The entrance to the marina is to port, just beyond here and
proceed to the diesel pontoon in front of the marina office to be allocated a berth.
Mooring options – Marina with all the facilities you would expect.
http://www.marinaurola.com/
Cost – June, 36E/night. WIFI is not available at marina. Diesel – 24hr credit card
machine – 1.35E.
Zumaya entrance canal taken from marina, or is it Switzerland ?
Usual facilities, including small supermarket in town which is a very long walk via road
bridge upstream. Limited restaurant facilities close to marina at time of our visit.
WIFI Note – From here, unlike in France, WIFI in the marinas becomes un-reliable and
my advice would be to purchase a “dongle” at the earliest opportunity. I purchased a
PYG Orange version for 29E and charged it with 30E of download time which lasted
well. Re-charging was easy with a visit to the Orange shop. There are many ways of
getting mobile connectivity but this worked well for us and was relatively in-expensive
given the importance of acquiring weather info.
Bilbao (Getxo)
The entrance to Bilbao harbour is 5nm from the marina at Getxo. This is a very large
and busy commercial port and due care should be taken when entering the harbour. The
entrance can easily be found as there are massive wind turbines on the western
breakwater. The eastern breakwater is submerged so caution is required. For such a
large harbour the entrance between the breakwaters is also relatively narrow.
Mooring options – The marinas in Bilbao are a long way from the city and are based in
the suburbs of Getxo and Las Arenas. Las Arenas is the Club Nautico and whilst visitors
are accepted it is not made obvious. This would be the first choice, being better
located, cheaper and all the facilities of the Yacht Club. Getxo marina, to port, is fine,
with more yachting facilities than Las Arenas but is expensive at 52E / night in June.
The most expensive marina of our whole trip. Between these two marinas is a good, well
sheltered, anchorage. However we had a “Galerna” during our visit which stretched the
yachts at anchor here. None dragged but they would have come ashore if this had
happened.
http://www.getxokaia.com/
Cost – Marina – June, 52E/night. (We heard that a week’s deal was best value but were
not offered this)
WIFI at marina unreliable as it comes from local restraints, including McDonalds.
Diesel – At marina office.
Getxo marina is some way from the town which can be found by walking along the
adjacent beach front for 1km to an escalator which takes you straight into town. Here
you will find supermarkets and other shopping. Las Arenas is a rather upmarket location
and very nice indeed with associated shops and restaurants.
Bilboa (Guggenheim Musem). Interesting location in the city centre.
To reach Bilbao it is a short “metro” ride from one of two stations a little walk from
Getxo marina. It’s a bit hard to find, best ask in the marina office. Bilbao city is very
nice indeed with old and new parts of town offering great variety. Perhaps the highlight
is the Guggenheim Museum (pictured) which is striking even from outside the building.
At 5E for a “travelcard” for 2 people a day out in Bilbao City is great value.
Note. For a short Biscay crossing routing outside of the Landes Range, Bilbao is a
strategic location. Being 170nm from Isle d-Oleron and 195nm Isle d’Yeu, both would be
an overnight sail for a modest yacht. Access is at all states of the tide and with several
mooring options a good first port of call. Another option of Castro Urdiales close by to
the west is a large harbour with anchoring potential and sociable Yacht Club so could be
considered.
Santander
The entrance to Santander is spectacular with long white sand beaches to port and the
city to starboard. Once inside the entrance it is 5nm up to the marina and took us an
hour on the flood tide.
Mooring options – Marina is a long way from Santander city. Anchorage, off beach to
starboard on entering harbour entrance or upstream beyond marina. In both cases
anchor clear of fairway as there is considerable traffic in this busy port.
http://www.marinasantander.com/
Cost – Marina – June, 35E/night. Note check website for discounts, we got 3 nights for
price of 2 by estimating our day of arrival.
WIFI at marina. Diesel from filling station on pontoon directly ahead on entering
marina– 1.33E/lt.
Caution is required when entering the marina as there are drying banks on either side,
half tide should present no problem. Be sure to identify the “green” starboard hand
mark before turning into the entrance to the marina as cutting the corner is shallow
water.
On entering marina you will see the waiting pontoon, very small, ahead of you to
starboard and not recommended. This is the wrong side of the marina for the office
and a very long walk around. Options would be to call ahead on VHF 09, English spoken
or wait to be met by “marinero” in dinghy as you approach. When we arrived there was
no response from either so we entered and took a berth about half way down the
marina to port.
The picture is taken from the marina office. Entrance from starboard and the pontoons
pictured are on the far side of the marina. We took a berth on a pontoon beyond the
boat just about in the picture to port.
The “marinero” eventually arrived and decided to leave us where we had landed. This
was good as the WIFI signal is better nearer to the marina office. Despite being a very
long walk indeed to anywhere we found Santander Marina to be a pleasant spot. Shore
side facilities were good and a nice bar/restaurant close to marina office. The staff
are very friendly and speak good English.
The airport is adjacent to the marina and the bus stop a good walk away following a
footpath that leads to a tunnel that passes underneath the runway. Alternatively the
Airport/city bus runs more regularly but is a little further to walk, ask at the office
for details. This footpath continues completely around the perimeter of the airport.
Being so close to the airport it was convenient to hire a car at reasonable prices and
this is by far the best option for getting around. The hire car enabled us the visit the
“Picos de Europa” for the day and stock up at the EUROSKI hypermarket nearby.
The trip up from Santander to Gijon is spectacular and Northern Spain at its best. It is
a long way at 90nm but with the snow capped, “Picos de Europa”, towering above to
port for much of the way.
Gijon
There are two marinas in Gijon, Puerto Deportivo and Marina Yates
(http://www.marinayates.es/). The latter is to the west of the harbour in an industrial
area and a long walk from the City. The Puerto Deportivo is right in the centre and has
a dedicated visitor’s marina. This is very easy to find and is to port (foreground of
picture) on entering the marina. The breakwaters pictured form the inner entrance to
the marina. We just arrived here then walked to the office. Alternatively head over to
starboard when entering towards the red buildings in the picture and you will find a
reception and diesel pontoon.
The approach is rather narrow and care should be taken to avoid off lying rocks.
Mooring options – Dedicated visitors marina and also some finger berths closer to the
marina office adjacent to diesel pontoon.
http://www.puertodeportivogijon.es/
Cost – Marina – June, 36E/night.
WIFI at marina, 2E/day. Diesel – 24hr cc machine – 1.35E.
The marina staff here are very helpful indeed. There is every facility you could require
in Gijon but visit the office, get a map and they will highlight supermarkets etc. I
purchased my Orange PYG dongle here.
Picture taken over visitor’s marina, entrance to right. Diesel pontoon and arrivals
pontoon just out of picture to the left.
I have heard many things about Gijon, swell ridden, lack of security, disturbance from
revellers on the harbour wall. Gijon is a “party” town and like all Spanish cities comes to
life after 10 o’clock. The area around the main marina, not the visitor’s marina, is
surrounded by bars and this does get busy. We had a very nice time here and stayed
over a week. Whilst it is very busy in the evening and to some this could seem rowdy, we
did not find this to be the case, just Spanish people of all ages (the whole family in
fact) out enjoying themselves. It is their way and nothing like “down town” in any major
city in the UK. The beach is wonderful, the shopping great and the people amongst the
friendliest we met in our whole trip.
Note. Caution is required when leaving Gijon heading west. My 2 year old Navionics
chart did not have the massive extension to the outer breakwater indicated on it. Make
sure you update before you go. We passed by with good visibility but in fog it could
have been a different story.
Aviles
We had not intended to visit Aviles but on leaving Gijon we found ourselves in a 3m
swell and strong head winds off Cabo de Penas. Aviles is a busy industrial harbour and
not particularly attractive. It is however a good harbour of refuge with a wide and deep
entrance. Once inside the sea reduces quickly and then it is a 45 min trip up the river
to reach the new marina at the very top of the channel to starboard.
The picture , with Onaway on a berth in the foreground, looking out to sea. To report
arrival follow walkway to marina entrance where you will find a phone to contact the
local port police.
Mooring options – Marina
Cost ––June first night free. WIFI at marina. Communal so you have to register.
All usual facilities in town a short walk away. Moor to pontoon 10. There is no marina
office or facilities and you have to phone the port police, you will find the number on
the gate entrance to the marina. They will come down and take your details. A key to
the gate can be acquired for a refundable deposit of 20E. I noticed that they do check
for new arrivals. As we were only staying one night (no charge) and wanted to leave
early the next day we did not take a key. I understand that the town is very nice with
some historical buildings.
Ribadeo
The entrance to Ribadeo should be studied carefully as transits need to be followed to
stay in the channel. It is however straight forward enough in practice. You will pass
under the road bridge and through the bridge arch indicated in the centre of the
picture. The marina then soon appears to starboard, caution the tide runs very strongly
across the entrance. On arrival attach yourself to any berth you can find and visit the
office. They are very pleasant but firm about the allocation of berths.
The approach channel, “a dog leg”, can be seen clearly here. Round Punta de Cruz and
follow channel to buoy just visible to the left of the picture. Head into the middle of
the Ria, watching depths, come to s’tbd then pass through the centre of the bridge
arch pictured.
Mooring options – Smallish marina. Anchorage on opposite bank of the river close to
small dockyard.
http://cnribadeo.com/
Cost – Marina – June, 42E/night. WIFI at marina was unreliable. Diesel from marina
office.
Usual facilities in town. We liked Ribadeo, despite the cost, the river is attractive and
much photographed. We would have stayed longer but the weather window we were
using looked like breaking down so we left early the next morning.
Viverio
This is a very attractive Ria and really the first of the area. There are a number of
lovely bays in the Ria and a good anchorage close to the entrance to the harbour. The
whole is surrounded by high mountains.
Viverio marina from entrance. Arrive on either side of pontoon pictured. Marina office
is by the entrance gate a walk away from here.
On entering the harbour, follow the canal for 0.5nm until the marina entrance appears
to port. The picture is taken from the entrance. On arrival take a berth on the pontoon
indicated in the picture or the likelihood is you will be met.
Mooring options – Marina with some visitors berths. Anchorage off beach close to
harbour entrance.
http://www.turgalicia.es/sit/ficha_datos.asp?crec=28367&ctre=3226&cidi=I
Cost – Marina – June, 24E/night. No WIFI at marina.
Usual facilities, including small supermarket in town. Some walk from marina. This is an
attractive spot with a small boat storage facility. The shore side facilities are very
limited but the staff in the office, a portakabin over by the road entrance to the
marina compound, are very friendly. This also includes the shower block.
La Coruna
La Coruna is a busy port so take care when entering the harbour. There are many
facilities for yachts here as you would expect being such a famous “cross roads”.
Visitors have the option of 2 marinas, the Club Nautico, which is very central for the
attractions of the city or Marina Coruna, the larger of the two and a little way out of
town. We chose Marina Coruna which is the first marina you will see on entering the
harbour. It is massive with many underutilised berths. For the Club Nautico, leave
Marin Coruna to starboard and carry on into the main harbour.
The entrance to Marina Coruna is through a wave break indicated in the picture with
the main harbour wall and entrance to port. The anchorage is behind this wall and in
front of the marina.
Enter here and head over to the port hand side of the marina. There are many berths
so head in as far as you like then into the marina and onto any available berth. By now
the very efficient staff will have met you and will direct you to a berth. The marina
office is very friendly and were good enough to hold some packages I had sent out from
the UK for me.
Mooring options – 2 marinas with visitor’s berths and anchorage off Marina Coruna
behind breakwater.
http://www.marinacoruna.es/
Cost – Marina – July, 26E/night with one night free in a week.
WIFI at marina. Diesel – 24hr credit card machine – 1.35E.
We loved La Coruna and could have stayed longer. It is a place we had long wanted to
visit and there is so much of interest to be found both in the City and yachting wise on
the marina. There are fabulous walks out to the Tor de Hercules, impressive
architecture and great beaches. The shopping is very good in all respects and the
nightlife amongst the narrow streets great fun. There are excellent connections back
to the UK via Coruna airport or a train ride to the airport at Santiago de Compestela.
Note. We found from Viverio to La Coruna around Cabo de Ortagal to be a very
exposed stretch of coast indeed. Ortagal is notorious for strong winds contrary to
forecast. In our case we left Viverio Ria in thick fog which lasted 55nm all the way and
right into the harbour, at La Coruna. We had little wind on our trip down but the
following day in a forecast NW F3, friends found themselves in 40 knots just south of
Ortegal.
Muxia
Muxia is situated in the Ria de Camarinas to starboard on entering the Ria.
Muxia marina, fully complete but not opened. There are excellent views of the Ria from
here and a delightful sandy beach not far away.
There is a good anchorage off the harbour but now a new marina has been built but not
opened.
Onaway is pictured in this marina with a few other boats. There was no water or
electricity during our stay and no one came to visit us to collect mooring fees. There
are no shore side facilities.
Mooring options – Marina, not opened but useable.
Cost – Marina – nothing.
We only stayed one night so did not venture into town. The views of the Ria from Muxia
are spectacular and reminded us of Scotland
Camarinas
This is a delightful spot and the marina is tucked away well into the main harbour. On
arrival take a berth wherever you can and visit the office.
There are very good anchorages here, some right off the marina as pictured but we
thought this spot to be a little congested given the fishing boat traffic. A better spot
would be further into the Ria to port of this picture.
Mooring options – Marina with some visitor berths.
http://www.cncamarinas.com/
Anchorage off marina or further into Ria.
Cost – Marina – July, 18E/night. No WIFI at marina. Diesel – Ask at marina office.
We liked Camarinas as it has a “faraway” feel. The marina is part of the local Yacht
Club and very friendly indeed. The Yacht Club restaurant is unassuming but has the
best “raciones” we found, all cooked to order.
Usual facilities, including small supermarkets in town.
As can be seen in the picture the weather was not typical of July and we found this to
be the case on this far western corner of Galicia for much of our visit.
Camarinas marina, on arrival take a berth and visit the office. Anchorage directly in
front of marina or to left of picture and further up Ria. The latter is a better
proposition as it is free from fishing boat traffic.
Cape Finisterre
This is a fearful place and we were surprised to find a strong south going current,
completely unlike the rest of the passage south. In a SW wind this generated overfalls
off Ria de Camarinas, more like UK waters. Our first attempt to round the cape was
with a SW F3, 1.5m swell and good visibility forecast. Seemed reasonable enough. We
left Muxia and after an hour out found ourselves heading into a SW F6 with big seas
and 2 knots of south going current. The visibility was poor and raining. With in excess
30 knots headwinds over the deck I decided it was probably not a great idea to be
going to one of the most notorious headlands. On this basis we returned to Camarinas.
The following day we had a great sail in much better conditions. The moral here is that
whilst the forecast in these parts may sound good you must be prepared for anything.
The Rias of Northern Spain. Finisterre to Baiona.
Ria de Muros
A spectacular Ria surrounded by high mountains. No off lying islands so perhaps a little
more exposed than those further south. Having said that it is a long way from the
entrance to Portosin and the swell diminished quickly as we entered the Ria. It still
feels a little remote which is perhaps its charm.
Portosin.
The picture clearly shows the entrance to the marina and the panoramic views from the
Yacht Club. The visitor’s area is located on the smaller pontoons ahead of these two
main sections of the marina. The “marineros” are attentive but if no-one meets you
take a berth in this area and visit the office, located in the Yacht Club.
Mooring options – Marina and anchorage to RHS of picture just beyond the marina
breakwater.
http://www.cnportosin.com/
Cost – Marina – July, 33E/night. WIFI at marina. Diesel – by arrangement via office –
1.31E. Draft limited.
Usual facilities in the town and large EUROSKI supermarket up the hill a little walk.
Portosin marina from the Yacht Club. Visitors outside pontoon.
Portosin was another favourite. The Yacht Club here is very nice indeed and could not
be more friendly. Some hard standing capability, travel hoist etc.
We travelled by bus from here to Santiago de Compostella, a good choice with only one
change in Noia. An interesting trip through the mountains where the houses had fires
burning in July. The picture gives an indication of the weather we encountered.
Ria d’Arousa
This is the largest of the Ria’s and well sheltered by Isla Salvora in its entrance. There
are 7 marinas in all and countless anchoring possibilities. The foreshore and islands are
beautiful being granite boulders and white sand beaches not unlike the “Cotes de
Granite Rose” in Northern Brittany. The disappointing thing however is that being so
sheltered the Ria is home to numerous bateaus or “mussel farms” which completely
dominate the Ria. For this reason we only visited 2 locations.
Pobra de Cariminal.
A very nice, unspoilt Galician village with all facilities and some lovely beaches a short
cycle ride away.
The picture shows the entrance to the marina and on entering turn to port behind the
large powerboat and take a berth to port or starboard.
The “marineros” are attentive and will probably meet you, watch for them on the
pontoon. Failing that take a berth and visit the office, directly in front of you when
leaving the marina gate.
Mooring options – Marina and anchorage off the main beach. You can see boats at
anchor off the marina in the picture. Caution as the beach shoals and I would not really
want to be further in than those boats anchored to the LHS of the picture.
http://www.nauticocaraminal.es/enlaces/enlaces_EN.html
Cost – Marina – July, 17E/night.
No WIFI at marina. Diesel – by arrangement with the office.
Usual facilities, including small supermarket in town. This is a busy fishing port with
many boats tending the bateaus in the Ria. It is also home to a number of sizeable
coasters so caution should be taken when entering or leaving the marina particularly
with limited visibility.
Vila Garcia
Situated across the Ria on the south side, Vila Garcia is a medium sized town. The
approach is straight forward enough but on entering the marina the arrivals pontoon
comes up very quickly so have fenders and warps ready in good time. This arrivals
pontoon is also inadequate really and can be seen to the left of these jet skis but on
the opposite side in front of the moored catamaran. We are 38 feet and just about
managed to attach ourselves to this unstable pontoon. If larger or should this berth be
occupied just enter a vacant berth and visit the marina office which is a reasonable
walk from here and right at the top end of the marina.
Caution in the approach as again this is a busy port with sizeable ships coming and going.
Mooring options – Marina with anchorage to the east of the marina behind wharf and
off main beach.
http://www.marinavilagarcia.com/
Cost – Marina – July, 26E/night.
No WIFI at marina. Diesel – From marina office.
As you would expect of a medium sized town all of the usual facilities can be found a
short walk away.
The area close to the marina includes a number of bars popular with young people and
can be noisy late into the evening. We were advised not to visit during weekends but
had no problems in this respect but I could understand the advice. The bar /
restaurant at the marina is very pleasant indeed which was fortunate as we were not
comfortable in the main town in the evening which is surprising given the Spanish way
of entertainment. This was one of very few places we felt the effects of the Spanish
recession were being felt.
There are reputedly good winter storage facilities not far from the marina and the
local railway station is on the main line from Vigo to Santiago do Compestela and La
Coruna offering access to the major airports in the area. Given that the security in the
marina was good this would be an excellent location for crew changes or even to leave
the boat for a period.
Arrivals pontoon to left of jet skis. Not good enough in our view so head into the marina
and take a berth then visit office.
South of Ria Arousa the coast becomes less mountainous and we felt the weather began
to improve. The scenery is spectacular and to sail down between Isle Ons with Isle Cies
to the south a real delight with white sand beaches ashore. The swell was definitely
noticeable as you transit from one Ria to the next.
Ria Pontevedra
The smallest Ria and probably our favourite, nicely sheltered and a number of very nice
places to visit and anchor. For us the weather improved dramatically once we reached
Pontevedra.
Sanxenxo
The most striking thing is the modern marina full of large yachts and power boats and
compared to places a little further north is a complete contrast.
The approach to the marina is straight forward enough and on arrival the visitor area is
the long pontoon to port in the picture.
Mooring options – Marina and various anchorages of the main beach.
http://www.sanxenxo.es/index.php?idMenu=81&int1=81
Cost – Marina – July, 36E/night. WIFI at marina. Diesel – At the marina.
Sanxenxo is a bustling seaside resort catering for Spanish holiday makers. The beach is
lovely and the town has some interesting restaurants many with sea or harbour views.
The marina staff are helpful and very friendly but we felt the security was lacking in
the visitors area, although we had no problems. There are upmarket boutiques and
shops around the marina area as you would expect for this type of clientele. The Yacht
Club is “swanky” but does not accept visitors.
Those are the positive bits but what lets Sanxenxo down is the nightclubs at the head
of the marina, straight out of Ibizia. They don’t start up until midnight and then go on
till 0400 at least. If that wasn’t bad enough the punters then retire to their yachts
(power boats) and turn on the disco music for the rest of the day.
Having said all that we liked Sanxenxo and as our 3 night visit started on a Sunday, we
seemed to miss the worst. Saturday night must be a nightmare.
Isla Tomba
This island is at the head of Ria Pontevedra and as you can see from the picture has a
beautiful beach. It was a lovely spot for lunch or an overnight stay but is owned by the
military and landing is forbidden. It also suffers a little from the industrialisation to
the RHS of the picture (out of shot). Don’t let this put you off though it really is very
nice indeed.
The anchorage at Isla Tomba. White sand, crystal blue water, what we came for.
Combarro
Not far from Isla Tomba and can be seen to the LHS of the picture. The approach is
straight forward although reputedly a little shallow so best arrive on a rising tide. The
whole of this pontoon is reserved for visitors and the entrance is self explanatory. You
will probably be met by a “marinero” on the way in and directed at a berth.
Mooring options – Marina and anchorage at Isla Tomba.
Cost – Marina – June, 31E/night. WIFI at marina. Diesel – at marina.
http://www.combarromar.com/
Combarro is a touristy town famous for its narrow streets and houses / bars excavated
from the rocky shore front. It also has a number of “horreos” , grain stores close to
the beach which are unique. Being so touristy Combarro has prices to match and better
value could be had away from the tourist area where you will find all the usual facilities
including a supermarket.
The marina at Combarro, visitors berths in the foreground.
Ria de Vigo
The trip from Ria Pontevedra south to Ria de Vigo is a real delight. To port you have
the wonderful anchorages of Barra and Liemens fronted by white sand and well
sheltered from the northerly breeze. To starboard is the barrier island Isle de Cies
which protects the Ria from the conditions outside and can be seen on the horizon in
the picture. Isle de Cies is covered in more detail below.
The Ria is busy with large ships, ferries, fishing boats and all sorts of other
watercraft. It feels as though you have arrived back in civilisation. Whether this is a
positive or negative thing depends on the type of cruising you like but it is hard not to
be impressed by Isle de Cies.
Being from Plymouth I was fascinated by the fact that Drake laid siege to Vigo and
based himself on the islands to plan his attacks during the 1670s. I could almost see
the fleet at anchor.
View across Ria de Vigo taken from Vigo castle. Isle de Cies in the background with the
beaches clearly visible. Marina Devila Sport in the foreground, which clearly indicates
its distance from Vigo City.
Moana
Moana is located on the north shore of the Ria opposite Vigo and is a good place to
arrive to get your bearings. The marina is new and well run. It is not sophisticated and
the shore side facilities are not good.
This is commuter Vigo and a large town with the facilities you would expect including a
large supermarket up the hill directly in front of the marina. It is not a particularly
attractive place but as a low cost option to visiting Vigo takes some beating. The
regular ferry that services the whole Ria provides a direct link to the City for a few
Euro’s return.
The approach is straight forward although a little confusing when entering the marina.
It’s unlikely anyone will meet you.
The arrivals pontoon is pictured immediately on entry. Tie up here and visit the marina
office at the far end of the marina.
Mooring options – Marina and anchorage off main beach behind the marina where the
boat in the picture is anchored.
http://www.moanamar.es/
Cost – Marina – July, 14E/night. WIFI at marina. Diesel – Not available.
Vigo
Vigo is a lovely city to visit with every facility that you could want. There are 3 marinas
in Vigo, Marina Davila Sport, Puerto Deportivo Punta Lagoa and Real Club Nautico de
Vigo. The only real choice for visiting the city is the Club Nautico as you are right in
the centre and that is what is dealt with here. This whole area, close to the Cruise
Liner Terminal, is part through a complete overall and it needs it.
Best advice is to call or e-mail ahead to let the marina know you will be arriving. The
approach to the marina can be very busy with ferry traffic so caution is required when
entering. As you approach, come to port and enter the marina on this side. The
entrance is narrow and the marina “tight” as you can see from the picture. If you are
not met as you enter the marina, “make fast” to the diesel pontoon immediately to
starboard on entering (short pontoon pictured in centre) or go alongside any pontoon.
As you can see from the picture there was plenty of room in July 2012. This will change
in subsequent years as the development work continues. All berths are allocated so you
must visit the office. To make life interesting this was our first “Med style mooring”
and Onaway is pictured in the centre having picked up the lazy line from the pontoon.
Don’t let this put you off as the “marineros” are really helpful.
The area of the marina closest to the terminal has already been upgraded and if you
are around 10m will be directed here.
Mooring options – Three marinas. Davila Sport, Punta Lagoa and Real Club Nautico .
Both Davila Sport and Punta Lagoa are a very long way from the city centre. Punta
Lagoa is a popular choice for leaving a boat for the winter.
http://www.rcnauticovigo.com/spa/default.asp
Cost – Marina – July, 26E/night. 20% discount for CA members and discounts for longer
stays.
WIFI at marina. Diesel – At marina office. Every facility and great shopping in the city.
We enjoyed Vigo immensely. The marina at Club Nautico is in the process of
development so facilities were adequate. The Yacht Club was closed due to renovation
work but the grandeur was evident from outside. The marina team are helpful and the
price of 20E / night (discounts applied) included use of the club swimming pool, free
WIFI and if you ask in the office they will take you to the supermarket or chandlers in
their minibus.
Isle de Cies
The approach to Ria Vigo from the north is a real delight. Having passed through the
narrows inside Isle d’Ons and across Ria Pontevedra you approach Ria de Vigo from left
to right in the picture. Between Isle de Cies to the south and the beautiful anchorages
of Barra and Liemens, two white sand fronted bays with excellent shelter, to the north.
Picture is taken from Isle de Cies, with the island anchorage of Playa Arena das Rodas
in the foreground and the anchorages at Barra and Liemens in the background.
This is the largest island and regularly visited by ferries from all over the Ria. The
main beach does get busy in season.
Visiting the islands – All of the off lying islands are a nature reserve and a cruising
permit is required to visit the islands. We were told that fines are made for boats
visiting without a permit. To acquire a permit takes time and should be applied for in
advance. For details on how to acquire a permit e-mail .....
[email protected]
This is a 2 part process. Apply for the permit (done in advance), then when you plan to
visit notify them before you actually visit.
For the cruising yachtsman this is a complicated thing to do and weather dependant.
Having spoken to various people there seemed to be three options in use. Go there
anyway without a permit, apply for the first part of the process, then send in the
second part the day before you go and just go, visit by ferry from Vigo.
We were there for a whole day in July and did not see any of the boats at anchor
visited by park wardens. The most popular option for visiting yachts was option 2
however but it is really hard to see the locals doing this and there were lots of them in
the islands.
Playa de San Martin anchorage seen from Cies. It is said that it is forbidden to land
here.
Whichever method you choose to visit, don’t miss a trip to Isel de Cies.
Ria de Baiona
Baiona
The entrance to Ria Baiona is straightforward enough but has a number of off lying
islands and reefs both north and south. When entering the bay you will pass around the
breakwater to the left of the picture and arrive at two marinas. To starboard on
rounding the harbour wall is Monte Real Clube de Yates and in front (to port) Puerto
Deportivo de Baiona. Anchorages can be found between the breakwater and Yacht Club
marina in the foreground or beyond the Puerto Deportivo marina in the background.
If like us you want to visit the Yacht Club it is best to e-mail ahead to let them know
you are coming. This is no problem and they are really accommodating. On arrival
approach the marina and call on VHF CH06. We got no answer but headed in anyway,
eventually a “marinero” appeared and directed us to a berth. Again “med style mooring”.
This isn’t so difficult, better with a bow thruster, but they will help you.
The Monte Real Clube de Yates was a highlight and an upmarket sort of place. It is
historically famous with several Americas Cup entries and has Royal ascension (hence
Real) being visited by the King of Spain. The Club House is very grand indeed and we
enjoyed taking coffee in the mornings on the veranda. Posh it might be but very
friendly it certainly is, we had a really good meal, at a good price in the club one
evening.
Ria Baiona indicating Monte Real Clube de Yates and Puerto Deportivo de Baiona plus
anchorages.
Mooring options – Two marinas and anchorages as indicated above.
http://www.mrcyb.es/
Cost – Marina – July, 32.39E/night. (Monte Real Clube de Yates).
WIFI at marina. Diesel – at marina.
Baiona is a nice town and is very proud of its seafaring heritage. All facilities can be
found in the town and there are delightful walks. We enjoyed walking around Punta del
Buey which is also the site of a castle containing a Spanish Paradore.
Note. You are now leaving Spain for Portugal and this is a good place to do your final
checks to ensure that you comply with Portuguese requirements for visiting yachts see
attached...
http://lagosnavigators.net/html/bureaucracy.html
We were able to purchase flares in the chandlers found on the waterfront opposite
Puerto Deportivo marina.
Diesel is also cheaper in Spain than Portugal so top up at the diesel pontoon at the
Yacht Club.
This is yet another wonderful spot and the views north from Punta del Buey, on a clear
day, is spectacular. Ria Baiona is the most southerly Ria and from here you are looking
north across all of the southern Rias and their off lying islands to the mountains in the
far north above Ria de Muros and Finisterre. Next stop is Portugal and there could be
nothing more fitting than this view and the “grandeur” of this incredible area to sail.
Portugal. - Viana do Costello to Cabo de Roca.
The positive thing about this coast, which we enjoyed cruising, is that with only one
exception the distances between ports is only around 30nm, a 5 to 6 hour trip.
However this stretch of coast is notorious for strong afternoon winds and harbour
closures in significant swell. The one thing we did not expect was very thick fog indeed,
unusual during August. The strategy taken by most is to leave early in the morning to
arrive before the strengthening afternoon winds. By strengthening read 25 to 35 knots
from the north usually to the south of headlands and in the approach to many of the
harbour entrances. This is complicated by the presence of fog in the river valleys which
rarely clears before mid morning.
Viana do Costello
This is a lovely place and a fitting introduction to Portugal. The entrance is
straightforward enough but has a reputation for strong winds. Evidence of this is the
numerous wind and kite surfers to the south of the harbour.
Once past the breakwater it is 2nm up to the marina. The tide can be strong so a fair
tide is preferable both arriving and departing.
The arrivals pontoon, on which you may remain for short term visits, is to port just
ahead of the marina entrance. This entrance is controlled by a swing bridge so not
accessible 24 hours. On arrival, if not met, head for the marina office, over the swing
bridge then follow the marina to the top, past the little yacht club and it is located in
the main building on the RHS. If the bridge is open it is a longer walk around the
marina. The office staff speak really good English and are very helpful. I asked to pay
my Portuguese “Light Dues” here and received a blank response.
Onaway is pictured at the far end of the pontoon with the swing bridge, open, to LHS.
Mooring options – Marina with limited space but the pontoon outside in the river was
fine during our visit.
http://www.ancruzeiros.pt/ancm-viana.html
Cost – Marina – Aug, 21E/night.
No WIFI at marina. The bars on the seaward side of the embankment from the marina
had free WIFI. Diesel – Try the office
Viana is a charming Portuguese town with many interesting buildings and narrow
streets. All facilities available including supermarkets. We would like to have stayed
longer.
Poava de Varzim
The approach to Poava is straightforward in good weather and low swell but can become
closed by bad weather. If you find that this is the case continue a little further south
to Leixoes which has an all weather entrance.
Another entrance with a reputation for strong afternoon winds.
On entering the harbour follow the marked channel which leads to the marina. There
are pontoon berths immediately in front of you but the local advice is to take a spot
further into the marina as the berths on the first pontoon can become uncomfortable.
If not met, leave the marina and head to the left where you will find the office
Mooring options –Marina and anchorage in the harbour although we were told that
yachts anchored here would be moved on. The cost here is so small that anchoring
seemed un-necessary anyway.
http://marinadapovoa.com/
Cost – Marina – Aug, 15.50E/night. Discounts for longer stays.
WIFI at marina. Diesel – Ask at office.
Poava is an interesting place and the home of many English boats, some of whom have
been here for many years. It is easy to see why as Poava is a nice town and marina costs
are very reasonable, both on the water and ashore. The locals are well established and
you will soon be invited to the Sunday night “Barbie”, trips to the supermarket and the
weekly night out at a local restaurant.
Leixoes.
Not visited but included because this is the safest port of entry in bad weather on this
stretch of coast.
http://www.marinaportoatlantico.net/
Porto – River Douro
Only the very latest pilot publications refer to the new river entrance to the River
Douro, most describe it as a “no go” zone, dirty with shifting sand banks at the
entrance.
This is no longer the case as two harbour walls have been built as pictured. These
“training walls” protect the river entrance from the prevailing northerly swell and
winds. Caution if this goes southerly there is little protection. It has also had the
effect of “scouring” the channel leaving 2.5m at LW on most states of tide, according
to Marina Douro. This brand new marina has been built to starboard a mile or so inside
the river. This year shore side facilities were still being constructed during our visit
but don’t let this put you off. It’s not the cheapest option for visiting Porto but is a
really nice place to visit. CA discount and HLR have been negotiated and the marina
team are extremely friendly and helpful. On arrival we were presented with Portuguese
soap as a gift and fresh bread delivered to the boat each morning. This is an older part
of Porto and the fishing village locally is very traditional, you will see the local
laundrette hand washing close to the marina. Good supermarkets are a walk up the hill,
ask at the office and to seaward a path /cycle track leads through a nature reserve
back to the beach and on for miles to the south. The sunsets from the marina bar were
spectacular. Best of all a short walk up stream takes you to a ferry which crosses the
Douro River and connects with the tram that takes you straight into the City along the
river bank. Other locations to visit Porto may be cheaper but do not have the charm or
location of Marina Douro.
We e-mailed ahead from Poava and received a prompt reply. On arrival at the river
entrance I called up on VHF09 and they sent a RIB out to guide us in. Helpful, but not
really necessary as the channel is well marked. The tide runs strongly, particularly on
the ebb so an approach around “slackish” water is desirable. Follow the main channel
until abeam of the marina entrance then head over and into the marina where you will
be met by a “marinero”.
Note – It was here that we started plotting positions on our chart plotter on the way
into the Portuguese ports. Several strategic spots in deep safe water. FOG was the
reason for this and as we left Porto it was “pea soup” indeed, as thick as we have ever
experienced. This strategy proved re-assuring on our trip south.
Mooring options – Marina. No visible anchoring opportunities in the river.
http://www.douromarina.com/en/
Cost – Marina – Aug, 24.20E/night.
WIFI at marina. Diesel – Ask at the office.
All facilities in Porto. Small supermarkets locally and large supermarket a walk up the
hill. A little difficult to find at first so ask at the marina.
Good flight connections from Porto airport
The entrance to the Douro River 2nm south of the commercial harbour at Leixoes. The
two harbour walls can easily be seen.
Inside the Douro River looking over the beach and nature reserve towards the City and
marina. Enter from the LHS of the picture.
So effective is this new entrance that we saw several Tall Ships leaving the river
following the “gathering” in Lisbon.
Pictured is the river with the Arribida bridge over the Douro which leads into the City.
It is possible to navigate under this bridge and right into the City centre but we could
find no mooring availability for a small yacht. The marina is to in the centre of this
picture close to the RHS of the bridge.
Figuera de Foz
“Fig Foz” is a Portuguese seaside resort with a magnificent sandy beach. The marina is
very friendly and has a lovely restraint come yacht club. We really enjoyed it here and
stayed a week. There are small shops and supermarket in the town and larger
supermarkets a walk away in the Commercial Centre
Mooring options – Marina and very fair weather anchorage inside harbour entrance off
small beach to starboard.
Once into the river the marina can be found to port 1nm upstream. On arrival you must
land at the “Police Office” which shares its pontoon with the diesel pontoon. Failure to
do this will result in much shouting from police officers. Once checked in take a berth
in the seaward side of the marina and visit the harbour office, a porta cabin on your
right as you leave the marina. You will then be allocated a berth. Larger boats can be
accommodated in the far basin but is a long walk from the facilities
http://www.ancruzeiros.pt/ancm-ffoz.html
Cost – Marina – Aug, 21.52E/night. 1 night in 7 free.
No WIFI at marina. Try the cafe overlooking the marina a short walk away.
Diesel – Pontoon at arrivals area, check opening times.
Usual facilities, including small supermarket in town.
Note – Caution, this is a commercial harbour with both medium size coasters and large
fishing boats departing on a regular basis. The entrance is also closed by swell and
anything over 2m should be taken seriously, particularly if you are approaching on an
ebb tide which can be strong. Seas to the west of the northern breakwater i.e directly
offshore soon became large with some breaking waves. The locals seemed to enjoy this
and carried on but the safest passage seemed to be an approach from the south
skirting around the end of the northern breakwater head.
Entrance to “Fig Foz” marina. Main entrance channel to left, arrivals and diesel pontoon
to right and visitors berth in the centre. The marina office and facilities are located by
the white square building and trees just off the stern of the departing boat.
Nazare
Nazare is the home of the largest recorded wave in Europe and the evidence of surfing
is everywhere. These monster waves, generated far out in the Atlantic, arrive off
Nazare where only a mile or so offshore the depth of water is around 3000 metres,
deep ocean. The waves then rise up within a very short distance indeed breaking on the
main beach. Interestingly these extreme depths form a “valley” right into the harbour
entrance. All of this sounds horrendous but with the right conditions it was not a
problem at all.
The other interesting observation about Nazare is that there are 2 marinas. The first
and more often reported is Nazare Marina overseen by Captain Michael Hadley.
Reports are mixed so I’ll let you make up your own mind. The second is Nazare Yacht
Club, a delightful place with extremely friendly and helpful staff, also cheaper than the
former. I e-mailed the yacht club and received a reply that they may have a berth for
us but no reservations. The process is to arrive at the diesel pontoon and visit the
marina office, a porta cabin above the pontoon which also includes the showers. We did
this but on our approach a local guided us into a vacant berth, the ”marinero” later
arrived and confirmed that this was OK. Ashore you are on the right side for the town
and there is a good and reasonably priced restaurant on the quay.
Mooring options – 2 marinas and no visible anchorage.
Yacht Club website - http://www.cnnazare.pt/
Cost – Marina – Aug, 20.60E/night.
No WIFI at marina. Diesel – from yacht club.
Usual facilities, including supermarket in the town. Some walk from the marinas.
The approach to Nazare, you are well inside by this point. Yacht Club to port with diesel
pontoon behind the protruding harbour wall. Nazare marina to starboard, arrive and
berth as directed.
Peniche.
Peniche is described as a marina but for visitors is little more than a pontoon where you
will raft up. We arrived on Saturday afternoon in July and the office team had left for
the day leaving no opportunity to acquire a key to leave and return to the marina.
Paperwork is dealt with by a helpful Policeman onboard the resident launch. They will
not take money but will tell you that someone will arrive in the morning to take your
night’s fee. The alternative is a long walk or cycle ride to the port control office on the
other side of the harbour. I chose to do this as I had noticed that once entered into a
Portuguese harbour office computer all harbour offices have a yachts details and are
aware of whereabouts. We were leaving early the following morning and did not want
delays but as promised the following morning someone turned up, no change or receipt
given.
Mooring options – Visitors pontoon. Potential mooring buoy to starboard on entering the
harbour or may be anchor off.
http://www.ancruzeiros.pt/ancm-peniche.html
Cost – Marina – Aug, 23.05E/night.
No WIFI at marina. Diesel – available but need to ask.
Usual facilities, including supermarket in town. Some walk from pontoon.
Peniche is a very busy fishing harbour and care should be taken in the approach. Keep a
close look out for discarded nets and fishing line when approaching the pontoon.
Although it didn’t cause us a problem I pulled out 30m of line and hooks that were
attached to the bottom and came visible at low water. When the fishing fleet departs
or arrives there is considerable wash on the visitor’s pontoon so for short stays the
mooring buoys may be a better option. As we arrived on Saturday we saw no fishing
fleet and were told that it is normal in Portugal for no fishing to be done on Saturday
and Sunday.
Note – The trip down the coast from Nazare is an enjoyable one with the Berlenga
Islands to seaward we also had a fair current of 0.5 knot. On arriving at Cabo Carvoeiro
and rounding up towards Peniche we found 2.5 knots of adverse tide so best to keep
well off the headland.
Lisbon and the River Tagus
Lisbon and the River Tagus is a cruising ground in its own right and should not be
missed. The City is right on the waterfront and has a rich maritime history with a wide
variety of local and visiting craft of great interest to your average “yachtie”. I could
not understand why so many people we met simply went no further than Cascais before
heading further south. The trip up River into the City is spectacular but take a fair
tide as the current is strong.
After passing the outer fortifications at Oieras, from a distance you first pick up the,
25th April bridge, straight out of San Francisco as it was built by the same person.
After the strange looking Port Control building you pass Sopromars boatyard at Alges,
watch out for the fisherman in this reach who still net in the traditional way. Lisbon is
a very big Port indeed so also keep watch for ships of all shapes and sizes, they come
up from the stern with surprising speed.
Next are the monuments at Belem on the north shore, under the bridge, you can hear
the cars passing overhead and on the south bank the “Christ” monument aka Rio de
Janeiro. By now you will have passed 3 small marinas all accessible but noisy and
crowded. A little further on is the first of the container ports where you may see Tall
Ships docked on the outside of Marina Alcantara, favoured by some.
Praca de Commercio
Next comes the heart of Lisbon City and Praca Commercio to port, a bit like sailing past
“Trafalgers Square and Nelsons Column”. Beyond this is the Cruise Ship docking area
and now the river is beginning to widen again. Watch out for the fast ferries taking
commuters to the south bank and Seixal the home of Tagus Yacht Centre.
Another 2 miles of docks and you arrive at Parque das Nacoes (Nations Park) with the
enormous Vasco de Gama bridge ahead of you. Despite the pilot recommendations you
are able to navigate well above this bridge and I understand the channel is well marked
from locals at Marina Parque das Nacoes. If you want to explore here call at the marina
and ask for help, someone will tell you the way and I noticed some leaflets in the marina
office describing places to visit.
It is a 10 nm trip from Cascais to Park das Nacoes but well worth the effort required
and combining this with a trip into the city centre would be the highlight of any cruise
south.
Cascais.
So many negative things are written about Cascais that we visited with trepidation.
From what we discovered I cannot agree with all the negative “stuff” and would
recommend Cascais to anyone. It is a very nice marina indeed which is professionally
run and managed, being home to some very large yachts. The arrivals pontoon is large
and it is very clear where you should go to find the office, which resembles a hotel
foyer. Everyone is very friendly and respectful and on a first visit you are presented
with a bottle of wine, a nice gesture indeed. They ask if you would like a “mariner” to
help you dock at your allocated berth and they will arrive when you do. The facilities
are first class and the security on the marina excellent as you can only gain access to
the pontoon you are actually berthed on and nowhere else on the marina. The marina is
surrounded by all sorts of marine related businesses, boutiques, restaurants and cafes.
The scenery from the visitor’s basin is spectacular with the Santa Marta lighthouse as
a backdrop.
Everyone complains about the price but we disagree, at 40E / night in July and August
this is the going rate in the English Channel, Western France and even the Algarve. In
short this marina is better than most you will find in those locations. The issue is that
since arriving in Portugal you will have paid less, much less in some cases, than 25E, it
therefore comes as a shock when arriving in Cascais. The fact however is that none of
the others places you have visited have in anyway the facilities of Cascais.
There is even a low cost option as the anchorage just outside the marina is well
sheltered from the prevailing winds.
The visitor’s basin in Cascais Marina with Santa Marta lighthouse in the background.
Mooring options – Marina with dedicated visitor’s basin. Excellent anchorage off
Cascais town
http://mymarinacascais.com/
Cost – Marina – August, 40E/night.
WIFI at marina. Diesel – 24hr credit card machine at entrance
All facilities can be found in and around the marina and in town.
Cascais is a cosmopolitan holiday resort visited by many during the summer. There is a
British feel about the place but the town manages to retain its Portuguese authenticity.
Fisherman still tend their nets close to the main beach as they have done for centuries.
Restaurants cater for all tastes and the shopping is good too. There is excellent cycling
or walking up and down the coast and beaches within a short walk of the marina. These
vary from very busy, touristy type to the crashing waves of “Guincho”. There are many
museums and beautiful buildings around the central parks but the highlight must be a
visit to “Sintra” a short bus ride away.
I hope I have provided a view that balances what I have read about Cascais but it does
have one un-redeeming feature. The visitor’s basin catches any swell from the west, so
does the anchorage and soon becomes uncomfortable. This swell fetches up on the
harbour wall protecting the visitor’s basin and waves break into the air above this wall
in anything over a 2m swell. Whilst I am confident that this would never breach the
harbour wall but it is a little concerning and I imagine that 3 or 4m and strong winds
would deposit this spray onto the visiting boats.
Swell breaking over visitor basin in Cascais, taken from Santa Marta lighthouse, 2m
west.
Note - Cascais to Oeiras – This is best done via the inshore passage close to Fort Sao
Juliao de Barra, the direct route. There is water here at all states but the tide runs
swiftly especially on the ebb and an uncomfortable sea, overfalls, can build up quickly in
wind over tide conditions. This seemed worse when heading out of the river and into
moderate winds.
Oeiras
The first port on the trip up the Tagus is Oeiras, home of “Rally Portugal” when it is in
town. This is a delightful spot and the marina team are very friendly and helpful. The
price of the marina includes use of the freshwater swimming pool and the cafes around
the marina are very nice. For an even better location try a walk to Carcavelos beach
where you will find several good places to eat with spectacular views over the beach
and too the west. There are good walks up and down the coast.
Mooring options – Marina with fair weather anchorages off beaches either side (lunch
stop really).
http://portoderecreio.oeirasviva.pt
Cost – Marina – Aug, 36E/night.
WIFI at marina. Diesel – On pontoon ask at the marina.
Usual facilities, including supermarket up the hill down the coastal path towards Lisbon,
some walk from marina.
There are great views up the river towards Lisbon from here but the swell does get
inside the marina and it would probably become interesting in large swell conditions.
Parque das Nacoes (Park das Nasoish in English)
Approaching Parque das Nacoes is best done on a fair tide arriving above half tide. At
night it would be difficult to enter the marina but there is a waiting pontoon outside in
the outer dock that can easily be reached. As you approach call the marina on VHF
CH09 using my English version above. If you find that difficult try “Nations Park
Marina”. The marina team speak good English and will arrange for a “marinero” to meet
you.
The tide runs strongly across the entrance and into the marina which passes through
the outer dock then a narrow lock gate. The “marineros” are very helpful and will guide
you in. A berth will now have been pre-allocated or they will take you to the reception
pontoon.
It is true that the marina is silting up in some places but there are many berths and a
suitable spot will be found for you dimensions. There are some very big yachts in here
Mooring options –Marina, no anchorage close by.
http://www.marinaparquedasnacoes.pt/en
Cost – Marina – Aug, 25E/night les 10% CA discount 22.50E/ night or 125E / week.
Free WIFI at marina. Diesel – Ask at office.
Parque das Nacoes is located well up the Tagus and we like the place very much indeed.
It will not appeal to everyone as it is very modern being located at a re-juvination area
in Lisbon. I have described its benefits below as we wintered here this year. This has
been a great spot and we enjoyed the New Year fireworks from the foredeck of
ONAWAY on New Years Eve. The local Portuguese people are very friendly and we have
made several new friends since arriving. I cannot speak highly enough of the marina
team, both in the office and on the pontoon, they really have looked after us. During
our visits home I have felt comfortable that ONAWAY is in a secure location and is
being looked after well. I would not hesitate in recommending this location to anyone,
by far the best spot to visit Lisbon.
The entrance to the marina indicating the outer dock and the lock gates at the end of
this pontoon which have “red and green” indicating lights. Pictured is the reception
pontoon.
Other Lisbon Marinas
Doca de Alcantara (close to the city centre)
Lisbon , Portugal
Tel:+351 213 922048 Fax:+351 213 922085 ,VHF Channel 12
[email protected]
Doca de Belem Marina (at Belem)
Tel:+351 213 631246 Fax:+351 213 624578
[email protected]
Doca de Santo Amaro (150m beyond the suspension bridge)
Tel:+351 213 922011/2 Fax:+351 213 922038
[email protected]
Doca do Bom Sucesso Marina (at Belem)
Tel:+351 213 013027 Fax:+351 213 020092 ,VHF Channel 12
[email protected]
Options for Wintering in Lisbon.
Wintering ashore
Tagus Yacht Centre.
http://www.tagusyachtcenter.com/en/
This is an interesting one and much is written by CA members about this place. We
chose to have 5 days out of the water in September to antifoul, change anodes and a
polish. Raphael speaks excellent English, is very charming, helpful and nothing is too
much trouble. The whole family obviously work in some way at the yard and really are
very friendly indeed.
The approach should only be made an hour or so around HW. It is a long way from
Lisbon to Seixal, some 7nm. From the main channel head over towards the Naval Dock
Yard at Almada and you will pick up the channel to Seixal, it is well marked. Be sure to
follow the proper navigational protocol when navigating in this channel as there are
many fast ferries crossing to Lisbon and they will remind you if caught on the wrong
side. It is plenty wide enough however. The tide runs strongly in the Siexal channel and
eventually you will pick up the leading marks to Tagus YC. They could do with an
overhaul, I did think. Following these buoys will lead you to the dock pictured and with
luck you will be hauled quickly. Some friends we made stayed in the dock, which dries to
mud, for a week and were less than impressed.
Tagus Yacht Centre however is a boat yard attached to a shipyard which services the
fast ferries that operate from Seixal across to Lisbon. It is an industrial place with
lots of old machinery lying around in the part of the yard we were placed. As a result
the machine shop is able to manufacture anything and did work for us. In September it
was hot and dusty and sadly the shore side facilities are very poor, we chose to shower
using a hose pipe in the yard. The area around the yard is a little walk into the town
where you will find a Lidel supermarket, it is not at all inspiring. We soon concluded
that despite the friendly folk around the yard this was not a place we wanted to leave
our boat for the winter. Having said this there were many yachts happily wintered
ashore.
My view would be that if you wanted to leave your boat ashore and not visit regularly
then this would be a safe place to leave a boat. If you are the sort that visits, stays in
a hotel and hires a car then it’s not a bad choice.
However for us it’s the wrong side of the river and there are better options for
spending a winter in Lisbon.
Costs. – 5 days ashore.
Travelift – 92.25E *2 = 184.50E, Storeage 13.53E * 5 = 67.65E, cradle 92.25E,
Pressure wash 79.95E. Total – 424.35E.
I also required some additional antifouling – 2 litres JOTUN – 123E
Payment arrangements should be discussed in advance as you will find no cc machine in
the office. This means you either pay cash, most lucrative or carry the cost of a bank
transfer and poor exchange rates.
Tagus YC dock with facilities to the right.
Sopromar, Alges.
http://en.cnalges.pt/
This is a new facility recently opened in Lisbon and is a joint venture between Marina
de Lagos and Sopromar Boatyard in Lagos. The location very close to Lisbon Port
Control is well down river at Alges. It has good rail and road connections. There is a
large pontoon for waiting lift by the travel hoist and good tidy, clean facilities ashore.
It is also close to Belem where you will find the better chandlers in Lisbon. All in all
this is a very nice set up. The draw backs being, to my mind, it is exposed as you can see
the open sea horizon from the yard. There is also little in the way of on-site marine
support but I’m sure this is only a short distance away in Belem.
This is an excellent choice for a week out of the water to antifoul etc. Hugo Henrique
is also very flexible in allowing the use of their pontoon for a few days in the water to
visit Lisbon. Staying on the boat out of the water is not an issue.
Personally I was not happy to leave the boat here for the winter but there are many
local boats that do.
Price quoted – 475E for 1 week ashore or use of pontoon.
Other ashore options.
Cascais Marina – All facilities for winter storage but I suspect a little expensive. Also
check working on your own boat and staying on the boat of the water. Good, clean and
tidy facilities ashore.
No price quoted – See website.
Estaleiro Naval - Marina Parque das Nacoes – Small boat yard with limited facilities.
Not sure about the cradles. Good spot for short stay ashore. Staying on board is not an
issue. Good, clean and tidy facilities ashore.
Price quoted – 516E for 4 days.
www.estaleironavaldelisboa.com
Wintering afloat
There are a number of potential opportunities. Cascais, Oeiras, Alcantara and Parque
das Nacoes are amongst the most popular and would all provide access to Lisbon City.
We originally considered wintering ashore but found Tagus Yacht Centre too remote
and facilities poor. Alges is a better location with reasonable facilities ashore but is, in
my opinion exposed to poor weather from the south.
Wintering afloat became our best option for a 2 week visit in December / January. We
chose Parque das Nacoes for the following reasons.
Marina Cascais is not too expensive off season, has many facilities and excellent
security. It is however exposed and the swell breaks on the sea wall in anything over a
2m swell in the visitor’s area. Whilst I am completely confident the harbour walls would
never be breached it is a little worrying. Furthermore, it is a long way from the airport,
a complicated public transport link or 30E taxi ride. (winter rates published on their
website).
Oieras is small and swell enters the marina which is not far into the Tagus Estuary to
gain protection. Shore side facilities would be good but limited. Nearer than Cascais
but still complex in getting to the Airport. (winter rates published on their website).
Alcantara is central but not a nice place, in my opinion, positioned between the busy
road and railway heading west ashore and Lisbon’s 24hr container port to seaward.
More convenient for the airport but a long walk into the City. It is however convenient
for the yacht chandleries that can be found around Belem. (winter rates published on
their website).
Parque das Nacoes is 10 miles upriver from Cascais and well away from the sea and
swell. The marina is silting but has plenty of room and deep water. Security and shore
side facilities could not be better and the marina team are the friendliest we have met.
Parque das Nacoes is a recreational area for the Lisbon population and full of
interesting things to see, not least the Oceanarium. Every shopping requirement is
catered for at the Vasco de Gamma shopping centre, including a cinema which shows
films in English with Portuguese sub titles. A DVD hire shop, scores of restraints and a
DIY store are all not far away.
Oriente station is a rail hub for Portugal and a 10 minute walk. From here the metro will
take you into the city or airport for a few euros and there is a 3 hr rail connection to
Faro for around 20E. From the marina it is a 7E taxi ride to the airport and a 20 min
bus ride into the city for 2E return, if you stay on this bus and not get off in the city it
will take you to Belem where the yacht chandlers are found. Winter rates are published
on their website and discounts are available for CA members. We paid 1650E for 5
months but this could be bettered if you are happy to leave your boat on an isolated
pontoon in the marina, not connected to shore power.
Everyone will have their priorities but we like Marina Parque das Nacoes.
Yacht Chandlers in Lisbon.
The best facilities are at Cascais and around Belem where there are 2 chandlers.
Lisnautica - http://www.lisnautica.com/
DND - http://www.dnd.pt
Sail Repairs
Sailloft – www.velaria.net we used this loft for some work on our main sail
Sailfix – www.sailfix.pt
There are location details for each of these on their websites and Google Translate is
an excellent tool where required.
Navigational matters.
Charting.
ONAWAY is equipped with a Raymarine C70 chart plotter backed up by a GEONAV 4C
XS hand held chart plotter which will run independently of the ships power supply and
can be mounted in the cockpit. I am not a fan of PC based navigational software for
anything other than passage planning. Both devices run Navionics Gold XL3 CF cards and
two of these covers all of the waters covered by this article in great detail. Note – we
found that there had been much development in Spain and Portugal much of which was
not charted on my 2010 Navionics charts. Three new marinas in Northern Spain,
Ladero, Muxia and Muros all fully commissioned and visit able but not officially opened.
More of an issue was the extend harbour wall to the south of Gijon which if approached
in fog could have been a real problem. The latest charts have all of these updates and
highlights the importance of keeping up to date information.
Electronic charts are backed up with paper charts and Imray C41,42,43,48,49 cover
the whole of the area described.
Pilots.
Other than the Cruising Association Almanac we continued to use Neville
Featherstone’s, Western France down to the Spanish Border. For Northern Spain and
Portugal the RCC Atlantic Spain and Portugal covers the area in great detail and the
latest edition contains most of the updates highlighted above including the new
entrance to the Douro River which is now a must visit.
For Galicia, Cruising Galicia, Carlos Rojas & Robert Bailey is without doubt the
definitive guide for this area stretching from Ribadeo to Bainoa.
I had long studied this area with Detlef Jens pilots North West Spain and South West
Spain and Portugal pilots. Whilst these are very informative with some lovely inspiring
photographs they are becoming obsolete for cruising this area and are in need of an
update.
The internet is also an endless resource providing up to date information on ports along
the way.
Note - I also cannot speak highly enough of the Cruising Association “cruising reports”
but have not yet used the CA App due my technical applications rather than anything
else. Most importantly a really big “THANK YOU” to all the CA members transiting this
area during the summer of 2012 whose dynamic updates of places visited I received via
the Biscay Forum. These are a real asset and a fine example of the Cruising Association
operating where it matters most.
Weather Forecasts.
This is a very large area indeed covering three countries each with their own weather
forecasting departments. Try as they might it is not always possible to predict all of
the weather anomalies found on these coasts and local conditions are very significant
indeed so a “watchful eye” at all times is very important.
Most data these days is derived on line and we have learnt not rely on one single source
but comparing a range is insightful. What we tried to establish were a number of
sources providing detailed information over large areas based on GRIB data, local
national weather sites, including land based forecasts and specialised forecasts
providing location specific information for sea states, swell.
VHF forecasts in Northern Spain are broadcast in English and Navtex is also a very
useful source particularly for harbour closures due to swell.
The list below is not definitive but they worked for us and continue to do so.
Used across all regions.
Frank Singleton - http://weather.mailasail.com/Franks-Weather/Home
Passage Weather – http://passageweather.com/ - Used extensively and I understand
uses GRIB data with little additional input. This is a convenient way of deriving GRIB
data and displayed in an effective way with regular updates throughout a 24hr period.
Localised Forecasts
Western France.
Meteo France – shipping forecasts are useful along the North Spanish coast.
http://marine.meteofrance.com/marine/accueil
Meteo France – Land forecasts
http://france.meteofrance.com/france/meteo
Northern Spain
El Tiempo – Spanish Met Office – Excellent local sea area forecasts including swell.
This can also be used in Portugal for sea areas Porto and San Vicente. Land forecasts
also covered. Published in Spanish but pictorial. Note – OLAS = Swell.
http://www.eltiempo.es/
http://www.aemet.es/es/eltiempo/prediccion/maritima
Galicia
Meteo Galacia - http://www2.meteogalicia.es/galego/prediccion/maritima/maritima.asp
Portugal
Portuguese Met Office – Great for land area forecasts but oddly no local sea area
forecast only swell. http://www.ipma.pt/en/index.html
Best for sea area forecast - http://www.eltiempo.es/
Specific sea conditions (Swell)
Wind Guru – Very detailed but location specific.
http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=153771
Magic Seaweed – Again very detailed but also gives swell at specific surf locations many
of which are places to visit. http://magicseaweed.com/
Travel Connections
This whole area is very well covered with local bus and rail links and much cheaper than
in the UK. I have only covered the aspects we considered, travelling to and from our
home in Plymouth.
Ferry Links.
Brittany Ferries is well known and other than France sails direct from Plymouth or
Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao. www.brittantyferries.com
A lesser known route is from St Nazaire to Gijon with LD Lines http://ldlines.co.uk
Air Connections.
Northern Spain
Easyjet and Ryan Air have connections from the UK to the following locations. Asturias
for Gijon, La Corunna, Santiago de Compestela, Vigo, Santander and Bilbao.
Portugal
TAP, Easyjet and Ryan Air have connections from the UK to the following locations.
Porto, Lisbon and Faro.
Rail.
Spain - Spain national rail www.renfe.com Galicia local rail www.feve.es
Portugal - Portugal national rail www.cp.pt
Summary.
In 2012 we achieved a long held ambition of sailing south, crossing Biscay and reaching
the sun as I know many people who sail in the UK aspire too. We had a fantastic trip,
visited many interesting places and got “battered” by the conditions on numerous
occasions. Three countries, all with different cultures and habits but we were met by
friendliness where ever we went.
The Basque Country in the south west corner of France and Spain was a discovery for
us and it would not be difficult to cruise to here and back in a summer based on the
west coast of France. It was unlike anywhere else we have visited by boat.
The southern Rias were everything we expected and it would be possible to cruise here
for many years discovering new places. There are many places to base a boat and good
travel connections to the UK. La Coruna and Baiona were highlights.
We enjoyed cruising the coast of Portugal, despite its reputation. There is a complete
contrast in cultures moving from Spain into Portugal and it wouldn’t be right to decide
on a favourite. The best was left until last however and we cannot speak highly enough
about Lisbon and the Tagus estuary where there is something for everyone and such
variety.
We enjoyed our trip in land to “Picos de Europa” and the remoteness of Galicia. The
cities we have visited, Bilbao, Santander, La Coruna, Santiago de Compestela, Vigo,
Porto and Lisbon were all amazing in one way or another and “crammed” with history and
culture.
It will be hard to “top” this trip and we have memories that will stay with us for a
lifetime. If you have ambitions to do likewise, “go for it” you will not be disappointed
but take your time and enjoy everything that is on offer.
We have had so many experiences but the most memorable thing in the whole trip was
the people, yachties, we met along the way. English, Irish, French, German and all the
Scandinavian nations, all with a common interest and living their own dreams in one way
or another, heading to locations far and (world) wide.
Our “wanderlust” is strengthened and we will continue our adventures further south,
taking our time as we go
“Fair Winds”, as they say.
sv ONAWAY.
Foot note. Details above should not to be used for navigation and are based on our own
personal experience and views of the places visited.